


two birds on a wire

by ClassyFangirl



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen, Missing Scene, between Changing Channels and Hammer of the Gods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-21
Updated: 2012-10-21
Packaged: 2017-11-16 17:54:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/542210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClassyFangirl/pseuds/ClassyFangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Free will is not a new concept to Gabriel, except it sort of is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	two birds on a wire

**Author's Note:**

> Title shamelessly stolen from Regina Spektor.

Two weeks after the TV Land thing, Castiel finds him in a bar in Hawaii.

Gabriel likes Hawaii, definitely in his top ten places on Earth, somewhere between a certain chocolate shop in Switzerland and this one restaurant in Paris where the wine is always perfect. But he's not in a good mood- far from it, in fact, but who can be cheerful at the end of the world?

He knocks back another piña colada and wonders how many he has to drink to actually get _drunk_. As it is, the bartender seems very confused by his ten empty glasses and apparent sobriety. Gabriel doesn't bother with any tricks, just fixes the bartender with a look Kali once said could bring an empire to its knees, and the man goes to make another drink.

"Gabriel."

The serious, gravelly voice gives him pause. Gabriel steels himself and puts on a bitter grin. "Hey, Castiel," he says. "Sorry 'bout the roughhousing. And the duct tape."

"It is forgiven," he says, and Gabriel laughs because _of course_ it is, he'd forgive Gabriel if he stabbed him in the back. "There are more important issues to discuss."

"I don't know where Dad is, if you're wondering. I know we aren't exactly close friends, baby brother, but I'd tell you if I knew where he'd run off to."

Castiel looks a little disappointed- his mouth, set in a grave line, quirks down a touch -but says, "I wanted to talk to you about something else."

And that's the truth, because Castiel was one of the good ones, honest and mighty and true. He's not so good now, it seems, if he's running around with the Winchesters, fighting Armageddon and what all. But he's still Castiel, a faithful soldier, just to a different cause. Gabriel gestures for him to sit down. "You want a beer? I'm getting you a beer."

"Last time I had a beer, Dean tried to get me to have relations with a harlot," Castiel says, but he sits down. Gabriel laughs; what the hell, Winchesters?

They sit in silence for a while, Castiel sipping the beer, considering it like it is a question of universal importance. "I was under the impression that alcohol is generally reserved for later in the day," he says suddenly.

"It's five o'clock somewhere," Gabriel replies, waving his own drink. "So. What do you want, Castiel? I know you didn't come here for sun, sand, and booze, 'cause that's my thing."

"You are a rebel," Castiel tells him. "But you don't have..." He hesitates. "You don't have a purpose, I think."

"Sorry, did you miss my monologue about terrible families and the Apocalypse? Because I was very proud, put it in iambic pentameter and it's goddamn Shakespeare, in my humble opinion-"

"But what did you _do_?" Castiel asks. "Joined pagans, played tricks on humans- but you _did_ nothing."

Gabriel wants to take offense, come up with a clever retort, maybe turn him into a pigeon for a few days, see how he likes _that_ , but instead, he drinks and stays silent. Castiel takes it as a cue to continue.

"Help us," he tries. "We are not...an especially powerful team. The Winchesters are willful but that can only take them so far. And I..." He looks down at his hands. "I am not sure I am strong enough on my own."

Gabriel sighs, fiddles with the little paper umbrella in his drink. "I'm not really the confrontational type, Castiel," he says. "You don't want me on your side. Believe me."

Castiel doesn't argue, just nods and stands. "Thank you for listening," he says. He turns to leave- must be learning that you can't just pop in and out of crowded rooms -when Gabriel says, "Wait."

It's stupid and pointless, but he says, "Keep looking, okay? I mean. You never know, right?"

Castiel nods. "I will. Thank you." And he walks out, beer half empty.

Gabriel sits at the bar, waiting for something he can't name.


End file.
